Condensing and deaerating method and apparatus



Dec. 21, 1926. 1,611,256

R. SUCZEK CONDENSING AND DEAERATING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Jan. 15,1923 as N gyg 1 QMQWWMM Patented Dec 21,

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Rosana. sucznx, or PHILADELPHIA, fENNSYLVANIA,1ASSIGNOR 'ro cjn; wnnnnnaMANUFACTURI G COMPANY, or PHILADELPHIA. PENNSYLVANIA, A ooaron'n- TIONon rnmvsnvnnm;

connnnsmq Ann nnannarnvq METHOD AND- APIPABATUS.

Application filed January 13, 1823. Serial No. 612,508.

My invention relates the de-aeration of liquid or removal froma l i uidof its air or other gaseousv content, an

5 in which there is utilized vacuum-producing apparatus serving both forthe de-aerating apparatus and for other apparatus, as a condenser,evaporator, or other apparatus uti-K lizing vacuumsp iodueing apparatus.In accordance-ninth my inventi n, the l1quid to be de-aerated. issubjected tonhigh vacuum produced, at least in part, by appa-.

ratus which produces vacuum in a condenmr,

evaporator or the like.

More particularly in invention, the hi h vacuum for de-aeration iseffected by multi-sta eejector apparatus, of which one stage-preferablythe first stage, operates only in production of vacuum for 2de-aeration, while the other stage or stages operate to produce a vacuumin a condenser,

an the additional or further ejector'apparatus serves also to maintainvacuum'in the main condenser of a power plant or in an evapothrough thepipe e and delivered to any suitand apparatus of the characterhereinafter de-.

rator or other-apparatus.

My invention resides in the method scribed and claimed For anillustration of one ofnumerous forms my apparatus "may take, referenceis to be-11ad to the-accompanying drawing, which is a verticalelevational view, parts in section, of a system embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, C is a mam condenser which, in the exampleillustrated,-

is of the-surface type, it being understood .that it may be. of the jetor any other suitable type. C represents not only a condenser, butrepresents generically a' .condenser, evaporator or any apparatus orvessel within which it is desired that a vacuum I relates more.particularly .to a system for such purpose.

auxiliaries, including apparatus for ole-aeraccordance withThe-condensate or condensedsteam collects:

the main condenser "shall be produced or maintained. My invention willbe described, however, from the aspect of its application to a steampower .plant involving a steam generator or boiler, not shown, engine orturbine, condenser, and

ating liquid, such as Water serving as feed water for the boiler, ordestined for any other use or purpose.

- A steam turbine'T exhausts into the con- 60 denser C, where theexhaust steam is .condensed, as by the efieetfiof cooling water passedthrough the numerous cooling water tubes 0, only a few. of whichareindicated;

in the hot well H, from which it is with? drawn by thecondensate-removal pump P drlven by any auxiliary motor, as a smallersteam turbine M, which'may at the same time drive any other auxiliaryapparatus indicated at B.

.Connected to the steam space of the c0ndenser C. asben'eathand behindthe baflie plate b,'through the valve V, is the suction chamber of anejector E having the nozzle structure N supplied with steam, as live orhigh pressure steam, through the ipe a controlled by the valv Ld The;ifi'user structure D of theejector discharges into the intcrstagesurface condenser F, in which the motive steam from. the ejector E iscondensed, the condensate: being drawn off able estination,'in theexample illustrated into'the condensate of the main condenser C;

The air which has been withdrawn by the ejector E from the condenser Cand raised in pressure is delivered to the suction chamber of a secondejector E having the nozzle structure N supplied by preferably liveorhigh pressure steam through the pipe a, controlled by valve d. Thedifi'user structure D of the ejector E delivers into the surfaceafterscondenserG, the condensate of the motive steam of the ejector Ebeing delivered through the pipe e to any suitable destination, and inthe example illustrated, into the pipe 7 and thereby into the condensatefrom C. The air, further 100 trated, however, the condensate from themain condenser C, together with the condensates from the inter andafter-condensers.- F and G, is delivered by the pump P throughthepipe h,first to the cooling water system of the condenser F, and thence throughpipe 21 to the cooling water system of the con denser G, thecooling'water being discharged I anv other purpose.

at y and utilized as boiler feed water or for Through a pipe is, thereis delivered to the tank or vessel I any liquid to bede-aerated or fromwhich gas is to be removed. This liquid-may be raw water, or.make-up-water,

' to be utilized as. boiler feed water.

Above, or in any other suitable relation withfrespect to the tank I, isdis osed the de-ae'rating vessel or chamber within which are disposedthe trays, shelves on plates in. over which the liquid to-be'deaeratedis passed in' thin films. The liquid is delivered, cold, orpreviouslheated to .any suitable temperature, throng the pipe 12. .whose lowerend isimmersed in the liquid in the tank I and whose upper end'termi-.nates at or above the upper-members m.

Controlling the pipe n is a valve 0' controlled by the float p upon theliquid inv the tank I, the valve 0 being opened as the level of liquidin tank I-r1ses, and the liquid in the tank I passing to the vessel Jupwardly or.

-tained in the chamber J.

in any other direction through the pipe at under the influence of thevacuum main- & 'lhrough .-the passage (1 there is effected communicationbetween the interior of the chamber and the suction chamber of a vacuumaugmentor or auxiliary ejector A, whosenozzle structure N is suppliedwith motive fluid steam through the valve'r. The ejector A is generallyof small capacity or .rating, in the sense that the amountof workpressure steam delivered through the to beperformed thereby is small. ascompared -cating with the pipe 3 may, be provided a d and um H valve]rg'op'en, whereby low' pressureor exhaust steam is delivered -.tothenozzle N.

--' condensate of the main condenser f C, and thence to the feed waterheater or to the and delivered to boiler thepipe s when the steampressure in the e s attains a predetermined magnitude.

en the'filant is'in operation, thevalves "ordinarily: be; closed and theAt starting, however,,f uickly to attain suitably high vacuuin,,witl'i'fthef-valve closed, the valve d" may be open; admitting. higherpressure steam to the nozzle Nj-flthe chec'k'v valve 5 preventing thehigher ressu're steam flowing into the pipe-sllzQr uring normaloperation the higher r ssuresteam may be utilized in the nozzle icontinuously. It is preferred, however, to use low pressure steamjas'the exhaust from the turbine M or from any. other source, the. ressureof the steam being in the neighbor ood of atmospheric pressure. When theejectorA is not M may pass through check valve t and valve *0 to acondenser or any other suitable destination. The diffuser structure D ofthe ejector A discharges through conduit L into the condenser. which maybe of, any suitable type, in-the example illustrated, a surfacecondenser. The steam and asor air from the ejector A passes around t ecooling water conducting tubes 0 the condensate collecting in the hotwell H and from there do livered to any suitable destination; in theexample illustrated, through the pipe 7' into the condensate of the maincondenser- C The cooling water for the condenser K may be derived fromany suitablesource. In the example illustrated, however, it is thedeaerated liquid or water from the chamber .J 10

delivered through the pipe as to the cooling water system of thecondenser K .and discharged through the pipe ;1], controlled by thevalve 2, to the pipe 7 and thence into the boiler. 01, when the valvesis ,wholly or partially closed, the -de-aerated liquid or water may bewholly or partially drawn oil through the pipe a, controlled by valve-b,

feed or to any other desired destinatiom' v a Efl'ecting communicationbetween the suction elm-m er of the ejector E and the air space of thecondenser K is the pipe 0. controlled by the valve f, whereby theejectors E and 1 withdraw air not only from the main condenser C,butalso;from the chamber J through ejector A and condenser K, theauxiliary ejector or augmentor Afbeing in .efi'ect inmulti-stagearrangement with the ejectors E and through'the condenser Kand plpe-e the e ector A, as regards the des5 in operation, with thevalvesr and Z closed, and valve 0 open, the exhaust-from turbineaerating chamber J, being the firstof a triple stgge ejector "system foreffecting high vacuum, as oftheorder of inches mer- .cury,,w it-hin thechamber J, t e ejector. A

raising the p'ressureof air exhausted from 'chamber J "through a range.ofabout one or two inches of mercury absolute.

Within the chamber J, as -indicated, or between. the chamber J and thesuction chamber of the ejectorA, may be disposed heat transfer structurecomprising, in the example illustrated, a plurality of tubes 9exteriorly subjected to the temperature ob- 1 taining in the chamber J.The. tubes '9 terminate in the end chambers h and i, into the former of.which is delivered an suitable liquid, as water;, from any .suitab e"source, the waterjlowing firstthrough theehamber k through the tubes 9to chamber 6 and thence through the pipe 9" to a second cooling waterpass or system of the interstage condenser F, the water'being dischargedat k densers F and G to assist in condensing the steam from the ejectoror ejectors E, E

The mode of operation is in general as follows:

Steam from the turbine or other source T is condensed in the maincondenser C, and the condensate is removed from the hot well H. In theexample illustrated, the condensate is used as cooling medium for theinter and after-condensers F and G, the condensate from the condensers Fand G and from the condenser K, and, when the valve 6 is closed and thevalve 2 open, the de-aerated liquid or water are utilized with thecondensate from themain condenser C for cooling the inter andafter-condensers F and G and deliveredto the boiler or feed waterheater,- or to anybther desired destination.

The ejector E removes 'air and uncondensable vapors or gases from thecondenser C, maintaining therein the :usi'ial high vacuum, asof theorder of 28% inches mercury, moreor less. The air and motive steam isdelivered from the ejector E into condenser F, the motive steam beingcondensed while the air is delivered to the ejector E, where it isfurther raised in is the firststage, raises the or gases delivered fromt e .de-aerating chamber J i by the ejector A,-simultaneouslymaintaining suitably high vacuum in the condenser K.

By utilization of the ejector A there is maintained inthede-aeratingchambcr J a Eressure of air Vacuum higher, by about one ortwo inches mercury absolute, than obtains in the 'maincondenser C andcondenser K.

I By so employing a high vacuum in the chamber J, and particularly whenthe" liquid or water is flowing in thin films over the structure m, theair or gas contained in the water is readily substantially comletelyremoved therefrom, thereby render- 7 mg it utilizable for boiler feedurposes or any other purpose where gasl dss or deaerated water issuitable or desirable.

The water delivered through the pipe '17. to the de-aerating chamber Jmay be cold orat ordinary temperature, in which case the de-aeration orremoval of gas to desired or suitable degree will be efi'ectednotwithstanding its low temperature by the high vacuum em loyed.

Due to the big vacuum employed in the chamber J there will usuallyobtain therein a low temperature, and this may be availed of for coolingwater or liquid delivered through the pipes 9 and utilized for anysuitablepurpose, including that of aiding in condensing steam in thecondenser F or G, or both.

Furthermore, the 'de-acrated liquid or water, whose discharge from thechamber J is controlled by the float-controlled valve an. serves tocondense the steam discharge by the ejector or vacuum-' augmentor andthis heat contained in the steam of the ejector A is conserved byheating the deaerated li uid or'water which may be drawn oil? at a ordelivery to the boiler or'feed water heater, or any other destination,or I may be mixed with the condensate from condenser C and utilizedtherewith as 'cooling medium for theinter and after-condensers F and G.

By the arrangement described, efi'ective de-aerationor' removal of gasfrom liquid I or water is efiected by high vacuum, and such high vacuumis obtained in accordance with this invention at small cost, since the.main ejectorE or main ejectors E and E for the main condenser arerequired to do.

small additional work in assisting the ejector or augmentor A inmaintaining the higher degree of vacuum in the chamber J. Furthermore,the motivesteainfor the aerated water, itbeing understoodhowever,

' coolin v j examp e, water from any source may be employed, or part orall'of thecondensatethe de-aerated liquid.

4. The combination with a de-aerating that water of any other characteror .from any other source may be utilized in the system of the condenser-K. Far

from 'the main condenser C may be passed through the cooling watersystem of the condenser K.

While I have described ejectors as uti-' lized for producing the vacuain the chamber J and condensers O and K, it will 4 be understood thatother air-compressingdevices or pumps may be employed in lieu densercooledby the de-aerated liquid and of any one or more or all of theejectors shown and described.

The de-aeration or removal of gas fro the water or liquid is effectivelyobtained at low cost in operation and low cost of apparatus, since thereis utilized vacuum-- producing apparatus otherwise necessary andutilized for the main condenser or -other apparatus of the plant.

Lowpressure steam formotive fluid for.

the vacuum augmentor or ejector A may be steam bled from a low pressurestage of a turbine, as either of the turbines T or M, as described in myprior Letters Patent No. 1,458,737, June 12, 1923.

. In the appended claims, for brevity, de-

aeration comprehends removal of air and other gas or gases, or the like.

What I clalm is:

1. In a vapor-condensing and liquid-de-- aerating system, the methodwhich comprises subjecting the liquid to vacuum to effect separation ofgas from the liquid, ejecting byel'astic motive fluid the separated gasin successive stages to produce said vacuum, condensing a vapor, betweensaid stages condensing by the de-aerated liquid the condensablecomponent of the discharge of an earlier of said stages, andin a laterof said stages ejecting the air or unoondens able gases or vaporsassociated with said vapor.

2. The combination with a de-aerating chamber and a second chamber, ofan ejector exhausting from said second chamber, a second ejectorexhausting from; said deaeration chamber and discharging to thesuctionof said first named ejector, .a 'con denser into-which said second namedejector dischar es, and means for cooling said condenser y thede-aerated liquid.

3. The combination with a condenser and a de-aerating chamber, of anejector exhausting from saidcondenser, a second ejector exhaustingfrom.- said de-aerating chamber and discharging to the suction of saidfirst named ejector, a condenser into which said second named ejector,discharges, and means for coolingsaidsecond named condenser by chamberand a second chamber, of an ejec- "*toi'iexhausting from said secondchamber, a second ejector exhausting from said deaeration chamber and"discharging to the chamber and a second chamber, of an ejec,

tor exhausting from said second chamber, a second ejector exhaustingfrom said deaeration chamber and discharging to the suction of saidfirst named ejector, a coninto which said. first named ejectordischarges, anda second condenser'into which sa1d second named e ectordlscharges.

6; The combination with a de-aerating chamber and a second chamber, ofanejectorexhausting from sa1d second chamber,

a second'ejector exhausting from said deaeration chamber and dischargingto the suction of said first named ejector, a condenser cooled by thede-aerated liquid and into which said first named ejector discharges,and a second condenser cooled by the de-aerated liquid and into whichsaid second named ejector discharges;

7. The combination with a condenser and. a de-aerat ng chamber, of anejector exhaustmg from sa1d condenser, a condenser into which saidejector discharges, a second ejector exhausting from said de aerationchamber and discharging to the suction of said first named ejector, andmeans for coolving said second condenser with a mixture of thecondensate from said first named condenser and the de-aerated liquid.

8. The combination with a condenser and a de-aerating chamber, of anejector exhausting from said condenser, a condenser into which saidejector discharges, a second ejector exhausting from said de-aerationchamber and discharging to the suction of said firstnamed ejector, meansfor cooling said second condenser with a mixture of the condensate fromsaid first named condenser and the 'de-aerated liquid, and a thirdcondenser disposed between said second and firstnamed ejectors andcooled by the deaerated liquid.

9. The combination with a de-aeration chamber and a second chamber, ofan ejec- -tor exhausting from said second chamber,

'to the suction of said first named ejector, heat-transfer structuresubjected to the gases and vapors separated from the liquid to bede-aerated, means for passing liquid through said heat-exchangestructure to. said con denser for cooling the same, and means forcooling said condenser by the de-aerate'd liquid.

'steam-operated ejector exhausting from said first-named condenser.

10. The combination with e, condenser and for conducting the de-aeratedliquid through a. de-aeration chamber,0f Vacuum-producing the coolingsystem of said second named in means exhausting from said condenser, acondenser and-into the condensate of said F chamber, ail condenser intowhich said ejee In testimony whereof I hate hereunto 0nd named condenserto the suction of said her, 1922.

tordischarges; a connection from'said secaffixed my signature this 19thday of Octo- Vacuum-producing apparatus and means "i ROBERT SUGZEK.

